With our keys in one hand and a camera in the other, we ventured down to South Beach for the 15th Annual South Beach Food & Wine Festival on Sunday evening. Our destination was Lucky Chopsticks: An Asian Night Market, which took place on the beach just outside of Ritz-Carlton Miami Beach (yes, we know you’re jealous).
Lucky Chopsticks, presented by Andrew Zimmern offered a vibrant, party-like atmosphere; festive drinks; Asian street food presented by some of our favorite Asian restaurants, along with newcomers that we’ve been wanting to try — and plenty of opportunities for photo opps, including an upside down kitchen (you knew things were going to get a little crazy) presented by Groupon.
Once inside, our eating and drinking began — and luckily, we had already planned out our eating adventures. (That makes like so much easier.) From dumplings to Korean fried chicken to tuna tartare, our palates were doing a happy dance. While these were all excellent, there were three dishes that we’re still dreaming about — and luckily, you can find them all in Miami.
Truffle Dumpling from Jaya
We’ve been meaning to check out Chef (and former Chopped star) Mathias Gervais’Jaya (thesetaihotel.com/jaya) for awhile so we were thrilled to find out they would be at the event. One bite into their truffle dumpling, and we found instant love. This tender dumpling, stuffed with steamed scallops, was served in a truffle cream emulsion and topped with shaved truffle. While the line was a bit lengthy to sneak in for a second bite (word must have gotten out), we were more than excited to find out that these pieces of heaven are available on Jaya’s dinner menu.
Hamachi from Kyu
What happens when two former Zuma team members (Chef Michael Lewis and General Manager Steven Haig) team up to open a new concept in Wynwood? You can only imagine — and if our first taste is an indication of what’s to come, Kyu (kyumiami.com) will be high on our list. Kyu’s dish of the evening was Sliced Hamachi, dressed with white ponzu, green herbs and chilis (available on their lunch menu for $14). The tender hamachi, the added kick, the crunchiness of the lettuce made this a standout dish.
Suanla Chaoshou from Blackbrick Chinese & Dim Sum
If you know Richard Hales, you know that he has a few tricks up his sleeve, so we were expecting great things out of him and the Blackbrick (midtownchinese.com) team at Lucky Chopsticks and his Suanla Chaoshou did not disappoint. These intensely flavored pork wontons came with a tangy, roasted chili oil, giving them the added kick that we enjoy so much.
While the festival is over, our food memories live on.